The Man Who Said "I Am the One"

A retelling for children, based on Bahá'í Chronicles, which reproduces ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's account of Mírzá Mustafá Naráqí in Memorials of the Faithful.

Mírzá Mustafá was a leading citizen of the town of Naráq, in Persia, and one of the earliest believers. He first heard of the new Faith in the days of the Báb. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote that he gave up everything he had for it: his home, his family, his health and his peace of mind.

He travelled to Iraq, joined the believers there, and came into the presence of Bahá'u'lláh. He lived there for some time, joyful and content. Then he was sent back to Persia, where he served the Faith as fully as he could. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá described him as "firmly rooted as the hills," and wrote that when he was tested by hardship, "he proved to be shining gold."

On the very day Bahá'u'lláh and His companions were leaving Constantinople for Adrianople, Mírzá Mustafá arrived from Persia. He was able to see Bahá'u'lláh only once, and then he was told to go back to Persia.

In the province of Ádhirbáyján he began to teach the Faith. He prayed day and night, and in the city of Tabríz his teaching caused a great stir. Then a well-known scholar, Shaykh Ahmad-i-Khurásání, came to Ádhirbáyján, and the two men joined forces. They taught the Faith openly, and the people of Tabríz rose up against them.

Guards hunted them down and caught Mírzá Mustafá. But they were not sure they had the right man. "Mírzá Mustafá had two long locks of hair," they said. "This cannot be the right man."

At once Mírzá Mustafá took off his hat, and down fell the locks of hair. "Behold!" he told them. "I am the one."

He and Shaykh Ahmad were arrested, and in the end both were put to death in Tabríz. At the place where they were to be killed, Mírzá Mustafá cried out: "Kill me first, kill me before Shaykh Ahmad, that I may not see them shed his blood!"

The two men had received many Tablets from Bahá'u'lláh, and after their deaths He wrote of what they had suffered. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote: "From youth till old age, this illustrious man, Mírzá Mustafá, devoted his entire life to service on the pathway of God."

This is a retelling for children. For the fuller account, see "Mírzá Mustafá Naráqí".

editors, B. C.. *Bahá'í Chronicles*. https://bahaichronicles.org/mirza-mustafa-naraqi/